Canadian Screen Awards gala to shine light on AfterMeToo

03/11/2018

The Canadian Screen Awards Sunday night are set to celebrate the best in Canadian film and TV, but also give airtime to Canada’s AfterMeToo movement, which is working to address sexual misconduct in the entertainment industry.

The stars of Canadian TV and film won’t all be wearing black, as at the Golden Globes gala, but there’ll be plenty of reflection on how the industry must change in light of revelations of harassment on Canadian sets that arose as part of the #MeToo movement.

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television plans to distribute AfterMeToo pins on the red carpet for Sunday’s gala, which honours the best in homegrown film and TV.

The academy has also donated a 20-second commercial to AfterMeToo.

“I hope that raises awareness of the fact that this is not just a U.S. industry issue, it does happen here, we need to keep talking about it and we need to be finding our own solutions to it,” said Beth Janson, the academy CEO.

“I appreciate the dress codes very much but I think that can also have the effect of sort of checking it off your to-do list, like, ‘Yep, I’m done, I wore black, I really supported my people and now let’s stop talking about it,”‘ she added.

Jonny Harris of Murdoch Mysteries and Still Standing, and Emma Hunter of The Beaverton and Mr. D will co-host the show, which will air from Toronto’s Sony Centre of Performing Arts on CBC.

Emmy Hunter and Jonny Harris will host the 2018 Canadian Screen Awards. (CBC)

The show will present awards for the best TV drama and comedy series and the best talent in those genres.

Hochelaga, Terre des Ames (Land of Souls) by François Girard, is nominated for eight awards and was Canada’s submission for the foreign-language film category at this year’s Oscars. (Séville Films)

Tying it with eight nominations are Never Steady, Never Still by Kathleen Hepburn and Hochelaga, Land of Souls by François Girard, which was Canada’s pick for the best foreign-language film category at this year’s Oscars.

Some prominent figures on Canada’s cultural scene will also be recognized.

Special awards to Atwood, Mansbridge

Margaret Atwood, author of Wandering Wenda and Alias Grace, both of which had Canadian TV adaptations in 2017, will be presented with the Academy Board of Directors’ Tribute in recognition of her commitment to the growth of Canadian media.

Peter Mansbridge will receive the lifetime achievement award, after serving 29 years as anchor of CBC’s flagship news program The National.

Peter Mansbridge, former host of CBC’s The National, will get a lifetime achievement award. (CBC)

Another CBC face soon to step away from the TV lights is Rick Mercer, who has been named Academy Icon. He’s ending his Rick Mercer Report after 15 seasons.

Look for a special award for Clark Johnson, The Wire actor, who now is directing feature film Juanita, and the announcement of the audience choice prize.

Golden Screen winners

Ahead of the ceremony, CBC’s long-running Murdoch Mysteries will be presented with the Golden Screen Award for TV drama. The Golden Screen Awards are given to the highest rated Canadian film and TV programs in their categories.

CTV’s The Amazing Race Canada has won the Golden Screen Award for TV reality show and Emile Gaudreault’s De Pere en Flic 2 won for feature film.